In the Netherlands, children get several school holidays every year. Sometimes the school holidays have different dates in different regions.
The government makes arrangements for school holidays in the Netherlands. You always get two weeks off at Christmas, one week off in May and six weeks off in the summer. The dates of the holidays in the spring and autumn are recommended dates. They may be different, depending on the region and school.
The Netherlands has three regions for school holidays - North, Central and South - so that summer holidays can be spread over a longer period. Each region has its own start dates and end dates for the summer holidays. Your school can tell you which region you are in so that you know when the holidays will start and end.
In the case of MBO schools and universities (including universities of applied sciences), the institution decides the dates of the holidays. There are no fixed national dates. You can find information on holidays in the institution’s guide or the website for the relevant training or study programme.
In the Netherlands, children must go to school when there are classes. Children are usually only allowed to go on holiday during school holidays. Holidays might be allowed at another times if you have a good reason, for example if you work in agriculture, hospitality or tourism and cannot take time off during school holidays. In that case, you must ask the school principal for permission. If you do not have permission, your child must not stay at home or go away on holiday.
Yes. They are usually off school on national holidays such as King's Day, Ascension Day and Easter. Schools sometimes plan additional days off around these national holidays. Check the school calendar for details.
No. The dates change every year. The government announces the dates for primary and secondary school holidays well in advance. MBO schools and universities (including universities of applied sciences) set the dates of their holidays themselves.
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